Autonetics
Encyclopedia
Autonetics was a division of North American Aviation
. Through a series of mergers, Autonetics is now part of Boeing
.
missile program then resulted in the establishment of Autonetics as a separate division of North American Aviation in 1955, first located in Downey, California and moved to Anaheim California in 1963.
Autonetics included the Navigation Systems division, designing and producing inertial and stellar-inertial navigation systems for ships, submarines, missiles, aircraft and space vehicles. Other products included alignment devices and attitude reference systems for missile launchers, artillery, orientation, land survey, aircraft and missile-range ships.
The Autonetics Data Systems division developed data-processing systems, general-purpose digital computers, ground support equipment, control systems and telemetry systems. The Electro Sensor Systems division built multi-function radar systems, armament control computers, data and information display systems for high performance aircraft, and sensor equipment.
Autonetics built a portable office computer and ranging radar for trainers and fighters and was responsible for the guidance and control system for the Boeing-built Minuteman
missiles. The division ultimately produced the Monica family of microcomputers, the D-17B
Minuteman I computer, and the D-37B and D-37C
Minuteman II computer, in which microminiaturization reduced weight by two-thirds. Autonetics also developed and tested flight programs for the D37D
Minuteman III computer.
Milestones also included the first airplane flight of an inertial autonavigator (XN-1) in 1950 and the first flight of an all-solid-state computer (for the Navaho guidance system) in 1955.
North American Aviation
North American Aviation was a major US aerospace manufacturer, responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, the X-15 rocket plane, and the XB-70, as well as Apollo Command and Service...
. Through a series of mergers, Autonetics is now part of Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
.
General Background of the Anaheim Facility
Autonetics originated in North American Aviation's Technical Research Laboratory, a small unit in the Los Angeles Division's engineering department in 1945. In 1946, the laboratory won an Army Air Force contract to develop a 175- to-500-mile-range glide missile. The work and the lab expanded, so that by June 1948, all of the Aerophysics Laboratory was consolidated at Downey, Calif. The evolution of the NavahoSM-64 Navaho
The North American SM-64 Navaho was a supersonic intercontinental cruise missile project built by North American Aviation. The program ran from 1946 to 1958 when it was cancelled in favor of intercontinental ballistic missiles...
missile program then resulted in the establishment of Autonetics as a separate division of North American Aviation in 1955, first located in Downey, California and moved to Anaheim California in 1963.
Autonetics included the Navigation Systems division, designing and producing inertial and stellar-inertial navigation systems for ships, submarines, missiles, aircraft and space vehicles. Other products included alignment devices and attitude reference systems for missile launchers, artillery, orientation, land survey, aircraft and missile-range ships.
The Autonetics Data Systems division developed data-processing systems, general-purpose digital computers, ground support equipment, control systems and telemetry systems. The Electro Sensor Systems division built multi-function radar systems, armament control computers, data and information display systems for high performance aircraft, and sensor equipment.
Autonetics built a portable office computer and ranging radar for trainers and fighters and was responsible for the guidance and control system for the Boeing-built Minuteman
LGM-30 Minuteman
The LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile . As of 2010, the version LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States...
missiles. The division ultimately produced the Monica family of microcomputers, the D-17B
D-17B
The D-17B is a computer used in missile guidance systems, specifically the Minuteman I NS-1OQ missile guidance system, which contains a D-17B computer, the associated stable platform, and power supplies. The D-17B weighs approximately , contains 1,521 transistors, 6,282 diodes, 1,116 capacitors,...
Minuteman I computer, and the D-37B and D-37C
D-37C
The D-37C is the computer component of the all-inertial NS-17 Missile Guidance Set for accurately navigating to its target thousands of miles away. The NS-17 MGS was used in the Minuteman II ICBM...
Minuteman II computer, in which microminiaturization reduced weight by two-thirds. Autonetics also developed and tested flight programs for the D37D
D37D
The D37D Minuteman III flight computer was initially supplied with the LGM-30G missile, as part of the NS-20 navigation system. The NS-20 D37D flight computer is a miniaturized general purpose digital computer. The new NS-50 missile guidance computer is built around a 16-bit high-speed...
Minuteman III computer.
Milestones also included the first airplane flight of an inertial autonavigator (XN-1) in 1950 and the first flight of an all-solid-state computer (for the Navaho guidance system) in 1955.
See also
- Autonetics RECOMP office computer
- Autonetics Recomp IIAutonetics Recomp IIThe Autonetics RECOMP II was introduced by the Autonetics division of North American Aviation in 1958.- Architecture :It had a 40 bit word size, 20 bit instruction size...
office computer - Autonetics RECOMP III office computer
- D-17BD-17BThe D-17B is a computer used in missile guidance systems, specifically the Minuteman I NS-1OQ missile guidance system, which contains a D-17B computer, the associated stable platform, and power supplies. The D-17B weighs approximately , contains 1,521 transistors, 6,282 diodes, 1,116 capacitors,...
flight computer - D-37CD-37CThe D-37C is the computer component of the all-inertial NS-17 Missile Guidance Set for accurately navigating to its target thousands of miles away. The NS-17 MGS was used in the Minuteman II ICBM...
flight computer - D37DD37DThe D37D Minuteman III flight computer was initially supplied with the LGM-30G missile, as part of the NS-20 navigation system. The NS-20 D37D flight computer is a miniaturized general purpose digital computer. The new NS-50 missile guidance computer is built around a 16-bit high-speed...
flight computer